A recent article from Smithsonian Magazine shares some of the history behind the myth. “Persistent rumors about aspartame’s links to seemingly every condition under the sun go back to what’s known as the “Nancy Markle” allegations: a letter that linked “ASPARTAME DISEASE!” to fibromyalgia, among other things, and said MS was methanol toxicity rather than a pernicious autoimmune disease…It’s the canonical example of an internet hoax, and it spread quickly.”

The writer notes that this all runs counter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which confirms the safety of aspartame. The lesson in this? Don’t believe everything you read on the internet and enjoy your favorite no- and low-calorie beverage with ease!

Read the full Smithsonian Magazine article here.